Lack of mental errors pleases Bears' Trestman

April 17, 2013|By Brad Biggs | Tribune reporter

The Chicago Bears wrapped up the second day of voluntary minicamp Wednesday in the Walter Payton Center with another 75-minute session that was crisp for a team still learning its way with a new coaching staff.

Coach Marc Trestman said there was just one mental error on defense Tuesday and one or two on offense and he felt the second session was smooth before having a chance to review the video.

“It's been a good start just to see the guys being able to take on so much information,” Trestman said. “We challenged them (Tuesday). They had three or four days with scripts in their hands at the hotel or at their house preparing for Day 1. They had the scripts for Day 2 but they were focused on Day 1 to get through it. And so what was impressive today was we had very few mentals.”

Trestman said the team went through 75 new pass plays Wednesday with 10 new runs and while the practice wasn’t quite as fast-paced, it still was at a high tempo.

It’s impossible to single players out this early, especially when they are not in full pads, but Trestman has been impressed with new middle linebacker D.J. Williams.

“He's a guy who has come here to reinvent himself, so to speak,” Trestman said. “Maybe that's the wrong term but you know he's in a new place in a new time and a new start. There's guys on this team that know him and think very highly of him, guys in the locker room that think very highly of him. He's very noticeable out there in practice.”

New strong-side linebacker James Anderson also has shown good range and the Bears clearly willl have more speed at the position group this season.

NOTES: Wide receiver Brandon Marshall (hip) and kicker Robbie Gould (calf) remained sidelined and running back Armando Allen was held out. ... Defensive end Shea McClellin said one of his focuses this offseason was adding mass. He’s up “five to seven” pounds to 258. ... The Bears will conclude the three-day minicamp Thursday.